Monday, December 17, 2012

"MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET" A PERFECT FAMILY FAVORITE

The
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, a New York City tradition since 1924,
celebrates a day of recording your blessings as well as signaling the
start of the countdown to Christmas. What better way to mark the
festive occasion than to attend the Seven Angels Theatre in Waterbury's
magical community production of "Miracle on 34th Street" by Meredith
Willson, being offered for the whole family until Sunday, December 30.
It even begins with a gala parade!

When Doris Walker, a Macy's
employee, played by a dedicated and capable Cassie Taylor, discovers her
parade's and store's Santa Claus has been imbibing more than hot mulled
cider and is unfit for his jolly red suit, she taps a conveniently
nearby stranger, Kris Kringle, for the job. With his full white beard
and merry disposition, Kris, portrayed by a convincingly jovial and wise
Tim Cleary, seems perfect.

With Kris's philosophy of spreading
love, that people should be kind and helpful, he assumes his role as
Santa with gusto and enthusiasm. If Macy's doesn't have a toy a child
wants, he has no problem sending mom and dad to the rival store Gimbel's
to buy it.

Doris, a single mom with a precocious daughter Susan,
has grown up believing in realism, not trusting anything she can't
touch, see, taste or smell and she has raised Susan to follow her
no-nonsense path. The adorable Susan, a role shared by twins Kaitlyn
and Kirstianna Mueller, who are celebrating their tenth birthdays, is
introduced to Kris by a friendly neighbor she calls Uncle Fred, played
by an accommodating Billy Hannon. The twins are delightfully convincing
as the young girl who want to believe in fantasy and fairy tales, even
if her mother doesn't.

When the store's pseudo-psychologist Mr.
Sawyer (Chuck Stango) judges Kris to be unstable, resulting in his being
fired, Kris's defenders, including Uncle Fred an attorney, rally to his
side. Kris is put on trial and he is prosecuted by District Attorney
Thomas Mara (Tom Chute and Joe Stofko) and Judge Harper (Chuck
DellaRocco) has to make a final ruling: is he really Santa Claus?
Semina DeLaurentis directs this energetic cast of two dozen, ranging in
age from 7 to 65, who deliver a stirring holiday musical the whole
family will enjoy.

For tickets ($31-43, special rates for
seniors, students and children), call Seven Angels Theatre, Plank Road,
Hamilton Park Pavilion, Waterbury at 203-757-4676 or online at
www.SevenAngelsTheatre.org. Performances are
Thursday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m.

Learn
a lesson of good will, that fairy tales can come true and that faith is
believing in something when common sense tells you not to do so. The
cast sings, "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas," to get you in
the proper mood.